Page 81 of Should Our Stars Collide

“Fuck,” Kieran breathes out, heart hammering in panic. “Holy shit.”

“I guess it worked,” Ellis mumbles from his corner.

“You can read fucking minds?” Kieran yelps.

“See minds.”

“Whatever! It’s wrong! You just do this to unsuspecting people?!”

Ash doesn’t look evenremotelychastised. “I told you, I’m as far from righteous as one can be.”

Unbelievable. Not only is he not ashamed, he even looks proud of himself. A whole new level of a control freak.

“How are you all okay with this?” Kieran demands.

“You can learn to block it,” Gabe tells him, apologetic on Ash’s behalf. “The other ‘you’ knows how to. I’ll teach you!”

“Maybe we should give him time to process before we drop the bomb,” Ellis suggests.

A knot of dread unravels in Kieran’s stomach. “The bomb? As in, this wasn’t one?”

“That’s why we wanted Cal and Dawson to be here,” Gabe reminds him.

“It’s probably better if they aren’t,” Ellis muses. “He’s already pissed.”

“What is it? Tell me. Now.”

No one seems up for that task—not a good sign, by the way.

Eventually, Gabe takes one for the team. “You know how Dawson always said Cal became a different person after the accident?”

Kieran answers with a grunt.

“He did. He’sa different person,” Gabe says, explaining…well, nothing. He’s not making sense at all. He must see it on Kieran’s face, because he sighs and elaborates, “Cal, the old Cal, the one who hurt Dawson, he died at the hospital. His soul was separated from his body, and a different entity took over.”

“Entity?” Kieran echoes, voice heavy with sarcasm. “Are you talking demon shit?”

Gabe shakes his head. “No, not a demon. A reaper.”

“A reaper.”

“The reaper who took Cal’s soul took over his body. But when he woke up, he couldn’t remember. Not at first. But eventually, it came back to him.” He gives Kieran a crooked smile. “So you don’t have to worry about Dawson, because the person who hurt him isn’t here anymore.”

Kieran stares at him.

Then laughs.

It’s a sharp, startled little sound, more bark than humor, and it dies as fast as it comes. “I’m sorry,” he says flatly. “You’re telling me Cal is dead. Like,actuallydead. And areapermade him into a condom?”

“I mean…yes?”

Kieran throws his hands up. “I give up.”

“Look, I know it’s a bit of a shock?—”

“A bit of a shock, he says,” Kieran grumbles. “Just some casual supernatural possession. Nothing weird about that.” He stands abruptly, chair legs scraping against the floor. “Any more revelations, huh? Is Ellis a vampire? Is this damn café a portal for fucked up supernatural phenomena?”

“Well…” Zeke starts, and Kieran cuts him off with a sharp look.